Languages

Cold War rhetoric worries Norwegian Foreign minister

A smiling Espen Barth Eide says most topics in Norwegian, Russian cooperation is good. The Cold War rhetoric is something he don't like. Photo: Thomas Nilsen

KIRKENES: «A language that reminds us of Cold War rhetoric is used too often,” says Espen Barth Eide to BarentsObserver in response to the controversial Twitter message posted by Russia’s Vice Premier Dmitry Rogozin linked to today’s commissioning of the submarine “Yury Dolgoruky.”

Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s Vice Premier and former ambassador to NATO, posted a short message on Twitter Thursday evening commenting that «Yury Dolgoruky» now is ready for mission: “Дрожите, буржуи! Кирдык вам).” English translation would be something like: “Shiver, bourgeois! You’re done with!).” The word “буржуи» is Soviet slang for capitalists or foreigners.

Norway’s Foreign Minister does not like Rogozin’s wording. “It is in itself not worrying that Russia commissions new submarines to replace the older ones,” says Espen Barth Eide to BarentsObserver. What worries is the rhetoric. “A language that remains of Cold War rhetoric is used too often. That worries me.”

“When I was Minister of Defense, I did also receive new naval vessels, the Frigates. I chose another way of communicating it than Rogozin did,” says Barth Eide.

Espen Barth Eide was Thursday participating at a seminar in Kirkenes, some few kilometers from Norway’s border to Russia’s Kola Peninsula. The seminar is the first part of the 20-years anniversary of the Barents cooperation in 2013. In June, the Prime Ministers of Russia, Norway, Finland and Sweden will meet in Kirkenes to outline the future direction of the interregional cooperation.

When the Norwegian Foreign Minister was talking in Kirkenes, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin was in Severomorsk, the Northern fleet’s main base on the coast of the Barents Sea. Putin followed the hoist of the flag on “Yury Dolgoruky” via a video-link while Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was onboard the submarine at port in Severodvinsk, west of Arkhangelsk in the White Sea area.

Dmitri Rogozin followed up BarentsObserver’s article from this morning with a new message today, this time on his Facebook page, linking the article where he was quoted and commented it with: “And I all along wondered how they would translate me?))))”

More from Security

Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Northern Fleet’s “Admiral Kuznetsov”, has finished repairs and is ready to leave the port of Murmansk. According to a Russian news agency, the vessel will sail to Syria.